Button back fob covered buttons



Jan. 6, Q 7 J. FORBES 2,433,986

BUTFI'ON BACK FOR-COVERED BUTTONS Filed June 21, 1945 Patented Jan. 6, 1948 OFFICE BUTTONIBAOK FOR COVERED BUTTONS James Reginald Forbes, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia application June 21, 1945, Serial No.'-'600,773

In Australia June 8, 1944 Claims.

Thisinvention relates to button backs for covered buttons, of the type comprising a flanged and apertured member to which is press fitted aring or rings covered with cloth, leather or other suitable material to complete the button.

One known button back of the type referred to includesa wire thread engaging loop which extends through theaperture in the button back, said loop having extending arms positioned interiorly of the button back to locate the exterior thread engagingloop in operative position and permit rotation'o-f the button aboutsaid wire loop. A button embodying this type of mould has-many advantages particularly when used as a tufting button in upholstery but has beenfound to be not entirely satisfactory when used as a garment or clothes button, one disadvantage residing in that the projecting thread receiving loop prevents a neat-and close fit of the button to the garment. Generally this button may be stated as being somewhat unsatisfactory for use with articles and clothing and accessories such as belts in which a 'close fittinga'nd 'resultantly decorative button is required, Incidentally the loose fit between the button and article of clothing readily permits the thread to wear under the movement of the button about the point of attachment.

The principalobjective of the present invention is to providea button back of the type referred to, of eliectiveand economical construction in which the above reciteddisadvantages of the covered button are at least substantially eliminated.

With the: above stated objective in view the present :invention comprises the combination with a button back having a centrally located aperture and a' peripheral flange to receive a coveredor'an uncovered button top, of'an annular member seated upon the inner sideof' the button back, a transverse memberintegral with and offset from the-annular member to extend throu h and exteriorly of'tne centrally located aperture for sewing .thread engagement, and means to retain the annular member and the button back in relative rotativecontact.

The offset member is constructed as a rolled tubular loop and provides a smooth circular surface-for engagement with the thread securing the button to the garment or other article so that the possibility of fracture of the thread during the use of'the button is substantiallyeliminated. Incidentally the thread engaging loop is retained in .fixed relation tothe button back to facilitate the convenient sewing of the complete button to the garment or the like, and the buttonfits 2 thread during engagement or disengagement of the button with the article to which it is attached. Furthermore the thread receiving loop is free to laterally engage a cooperatingbutton-hole and thereby prevent chafing and wearing of the securing thread between the button-hole and thread receiving loop and the stitching around the button-hole. p

The accompanying drawings depict a practical arrangement of theinvention applied to abutton back of the type specified.

;In these drawings: H v

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the button back and an associated annular or disc member. I

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the parts shown in Fig. 1. v 4

Fig. 3 is a section on plane 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4' is a section on plane 4--4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a central section of a complete button. Fig. 6 is a central section of a modified form of the apertured button back including means to retain the disc member in operative position,

-Fig; 7 is a central sectionofthe button back including alternative means to retain the disc member in operative position.

Fig. '8 illustrates diagrammatically the main steps in the formation of the thread receiving loop.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 the covered button 5 is provided with the conventional flanged and apertured back 6 which is assembled with a domed top portion 1 covered with cloth-or other material-to complete the button as viewed in Fig. '5'.

Between the inner surface of the apertured back 6 and'the cardboard wad 8 is located a disc shaped member 9 of greater diameter than that of the aperture in the button back and large enough to fit tightly 'inflange 6, so as to seat around the periphery of 'theaperture 6a in said back, and so as to be held in place by flange. 6, this member Bin turn serving to hold memberl! in place;

Formed in said disc member 9 is a thread receiving loop [0 in the form of a pressed arch bridging the openings II in the disc member. The arched loop [0 projects through and out wardly from the apertureBa' in the button back 6 and'is formed-,withrolled edges to provide as hereinafter described a smooth tubular bearing surface, devoid of cutting edges, for the engage ment of the thread securing'the button to a garment or the like. Alternatively thearched loop l0 maybe in the form of a U=shaped channel, in lieu of the tubular construction.

' The disc shaped member 9 is merely laid in positionaboutthe aperture Ga in the button back 6 andthe length of arched loop Ill determined by the diameter of the opening II in said member, is such that it also bridges said aperture 6a to of said disc member 9 whereby twisting strains on the securing thread are obviated.

The thread receiving loop 10 will also laterally engage the button hole and thereby reduce tensional strain on the thread and also prevent chafing of said thread against the sides of the button-hole and said loop and prevent chafing of the button-hole.

In a modification of the invention illustrated in Fig. 6 the cardboard wad 8 (Fig. 3, 4 and 5) is dispensed with, and the disc shaped member 9 is retained in the assembledposition by means of deformable lugs l2 formed in the base l3 of the apertured button back 6', said lugs being bent or pressed towards the centre of the button back so as to lie over said member. In this construction the engagement of the lugs l2 with the disc shaped member 9 is such as to provide relative rotation between the apertured button back and said member.

A further alternative method of retaining the disc shaped member 9' in position in the apertured button back 6 is illustrated in Figure '7. In this embodiment the tubular arcuate thread engaging loop l'lla is provided, during the formation thereof, with lips Illb adapted to provide a snap engagement with the peripheral edge of the aperture 6a in the button back 6. The snap engagement permits the rotation of the member 9' relatively to the button back 6.

Fig. 8 diagrammatically illustrates a method of forming the thread receiving loop ID or IS, a representing the apertured back blank, the

aperture being bridged by a portion a. b repre sents the blank after a press operation to arch and channel the bridging portion a and showing jaws d of a press in position prior to pressing the bridging portion a into a tubular thread engaging loop at c.

While the button described is particularly adapted for use with garments, it may be also used in upholstery.

I claim:

1. The combination with a button back having a centrally located aperture and a peripheral flange adapted to receive a covered or an uncovered button top, of an annular member seated upon the inner side of the button back, said annular member having a flat outer flange larger than said central aperture and adapted to provide a relatively broad surface of contact against the inner surface of the button back, a transverse member integral with and offset from the annular member to extend through and exteriorly of the centrally located aperture for sewing thread engagement, and means cooperating with the transverse member and the button back for retaining the annular member and button back in relative rotative contact.

2. The combination with a discal button back having a centrally located aperture and an outturned marginal flange adapted to receive a covered or an uncovered button top, of an annular member disposed concentrically about the centrally located aperture, said annular member having a flat outerflange larger than said central aperture and adapted to provide a relatively broad surface of contact against the inner surface of the button back, a transverse arched 4 member integral with and oifset from the annular member to extend through the centrally located aperture to the outer side of the discal button back for sewing thread engagement, and a retaining member engaging and maintaining the annular member in rotative contact with the discal button back.

3. The combination with a button back disc having a central circular aperture and a marginal flange projecting from one side adapted to receive a covered or an uncovered button top, of an annular disc disposed within the marginal flange in concentric rotative arrangement about the central circular aperture, said annular disc having a flat marginal flange larger than said central aperture and adapted to provide a relatively broad surface of contact against the inner surface of the button back, a transverse arched bridge piece integral with and offset from the annular plate to extend through the central circular aperture for sewing thread engagement, and a discal member fitted within the marginal flange and disposed in contact with the annular plate to maintain said plate in rotative contact with said back disc.

4. The combination with a button back disc having a central circular aperture and a marginal flange projecting from one side adapted to receive a covered or an uncovered button top, of an annular disc disposed within the marginal flange in concentric rotative arrangement about the central circular aperture, said annular disc having a flat'marginal flange larger than said central aperture and adapted to provide a relatively broad surface of contact against the inner surface of the button back, a transverse tubular arched bridge piece integral with and offset from the annular plate to extend outwardly through the central circular aperture for sewing thread engagement, and lugs pressed inwardly from the back disc to overlap and retain the annular plate in rotative contact with said disc.

5. The combination with a button back disc having a central circular aperture and a marginal flange projecting from one side adapted to receive a covered or an uncovered button top, of an annular disc disposed within the marginal flange in concentric rotative arrangement about the central circular aperture, said annular disc having a flat marginal flange larger than said central aperture and adapted to provide a relatively broad surface of contact against the inner surface of the button back, a transverse tubular arched bridge piece integral with and oifset from the annular plate to extend outwardly through the central circular aperture for sewing thread engagement, and lips on the arched bridge piece adapted for snap engagement with the outer side of the back disc to retain the annular plate in rotative contact with said disc.

JAMES REGINALD FORBES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 297,344 Bird Apr. 22, 1884 3Q2,5 vPhillips et a1. Nov. 6, 1888 633,097" Koltonski 1 Sept. 12, 1899 1,881,962 Perlman et a1 Oct. 11, 1932 

